Reading Notes: The Monkey King

Two complaints were filed to the Lord of the Heavens against Sun Wu Kong. The Lord of the Heavens sent for Sun Wu Kong to punish him, but he was convinced to have lenience toward Wu Kong. He was given a job as a stablemaster in heaven. One day Sun Wu Kong was informed that stablemaster is a lowly role, and it isn't even officially recognized. He became furious and went back to his mountain. The Lord of the Heavens was angry at this and sent to punish him. He ordered Li Dsing and his third son to hunt down Sun Wu Kong and bring him to be punished. Li Dsing and his son were no match for Sun Wu Kong and he had mercy on them in battle. 

After the battle, the Lord of the Heavens was convinced to give Sun Wu Kong the title of Saint. Wu Kong was pleased, and he received a castle in the heavens from the Lord of the Heavens. He was charged with tending to the garden of life-giving peaches. He did so very well for a short while, but he eventually started to consume the fruits for himself. One day some fairies came to collect the peaches for the feast, but so few were left because Wu Kong had eaten them. Later he drank a ton of the wine for the banquet, and then he broke into Loatze's inner chamber and consumed his life giving pills. Wu Kong realized he had done wrong, so he returned to his mountain home. 

Guan Yin, the goddess of compassion, suggested the Lord of the Heavens send Yang Oerlang after Sun Wu Kong. Yang Oerlang had trained in the transformations and was well equipped to fight Wu Kong. They battled for ages. Wu Kong would transform to one being and Oerlang would make a transformation to counter Wu Kong's. This went on and on until Wu Kong vanished and turned himself into Oerlang. He marched into Yang Oerlang's castle and lived as if he wasn't even Sun Wu Kong. Yang Oerlang used a mirror to find Wu Kong and attacked. The fought again and ended up near Wu Kong's island. Loatze and Guan Yin were checking on the fight and Loatze tossed a diamon necklace in Wu Kong's direction. It had the power to contain any living creature. Wu Kong was captured and taken to the heavens where they tried to kill him, but he was immune to their attacks because of all the life giving fruit he had eaten. 

The Lord of the Heavens called for Buddha to handle the situation. He arrived and started speaking with Sun Wu Kong. They made a deal that if Sun Wu Kong could escape Buddha's hand, then Buddha would ask the Lord of the Heavens to leave his throne for Sun Wu Kong. Wu Kong was not able to escape Buddha's hand, so he agreed to behave as Buddha wished. 

The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm

Sun Wu Kong - Smite

Reading Notes: The Monkey King

In the middle of the Great Sea there is an island by the name of "the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits." On it, there was a giant rock which had absorbed energy from the sun and moon. One day, a handsome monkey hatched from the rock like a baby bird from an egg. The monkey learned to be a monkey and played about the island. One day, all of the monkeys came to a waterfall on the island and declared that whichever monkey could make it through the waterfall alive would be their king. The handsome monkey made the leap and he was declared king of the monkeys. 

One day the Monkey King became sad because he realized that one day he would die and be gone forever. He sought eternal life and was directed to find a Buddha. He made a raft sand sailed across the Great Sea to a place full of people. He learned manners and human traits from the people, and one day he stumbled upon a man who knew where to find a teacher. The Monkey King followed the path and became a disciple of the teacher. Upon his arrival, the master named him Sun Wu Kong. From there, Wu Kong began his training. Sun Wu Kong learned many things like how to levitate on the clouds and to travel around the Earth in an instant. The master taught him many things, but one day Sun Wu Kong used his power to make a joke for his friends. Once the master saw this, he banished him and told Sun Wu Kong to return to where he came from. 

Wu Kong was happy to return home because he had missed his home island and monkeys. When he arrived, all of the monkeys came to listen to his stories. They told him of a demon lord that had come and taken many of their young. Sun Wu Kong was outraged and immediately went to the home of the demon lord and slayed him. He then gathered the young and traveled home. Sun Wu Kong loved the mighty sword he had taken from the demon lord, but he desired something nicer. He then traveled to the Sea King, Ao Kuang. On his arrival, Ao Kuang treated him well. Sun Wu Kong tried many of the weapons Ao Kuang offered him, but none of them were satisfactory. He ended up taking a stick with gold clamps on the side that could grow or shrink to his preferred size. Ao Kuang did not want to give it to him, but Wu Kong sort of forced it. 

Sun Wu Kong then returned home and showed off his new weapon to all of his monkeys. 

Sun Wu Kong - Deviantart

The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm